HIV risk - symptoms?

[itsgoingtobefine]

4 weeks ago I had protected sex with a girl I barely knew (friend of a friend). After she left, I noticed there were some blood on the condom. She also masturbated me after I removed the condom.

Two weeks after that I got a sore throat that lasted 1.5 days. I felt a bit feverish but could not be sure. So when I checked temperature, it was normal (97.5 deg). After the day and a half of sore throat and possible feverish feeling, I felt normal and even went for 45 min run and have been working out since. Although I felt normal, I was sneezing and had runny nose.There was phlegm in the back of my throat which I had to spit out every now and then to clear it. Its been 2 weeks since the short sore throat and I still have little phlegm at the back of the throat but not as much.  
Since the first symptom, I have been worried sick about possible HIV. I have been searching my mouth for thrush and my body for rash. I am so anxious that even existing moles or black heads on body look like rash . I have ruled them out as rash now since they look the same size and shape even after 2 weeks. A day ago, I noticed a small reddish spot on chest (<2mm) that disappeared in a day. It was actually so small I had to use the vanity mirror to notice it. I am literally freaking out.

I am extremely stressed about it and any help or reassurance would help. Timing of my symptoms is same as HIV symptoms which has me all stressed out.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

This will be the last answer.  

Your discovery of lymph nodes is no suprise- everyone has them if they look hard enough for them, that's normal.   If you keep feeling for them as you are, they will get tender from the trauma of your self-examination as well. Further, as you've already been told, the exposure you had was virtually no risk for HIV.

You need to put your fears about HIV aside- they are unwarranted and inappropriate.  If you cannot, you do not need more testing but to discuss your feelings about the exposure with a trained counselor.  

I hope this comment helps. EWH  

[itsgoingtobefine]

Dear Doctor,
       I wanted to give update and get your opinion. Its been 6 weeks since the incident and 4 weeks since I had the 1.5 days of sore throat.

Now, I still have residual phlegm in my throat. But it is there only when i drink or eat. I have to clear my throat every time after I drink water or eat. So I am hoping the sore throat was a just case of cold.

However, since I have been paranoid about HIV. I have started checking for lymph nodes aggressiveluy. I noticed that my jugulodigastric node on both sides is around 1cm. I didn't notice it when I had the sore throat since I checked only very superficially and these nodes cannot be felt unless I really look for them. So I don't know if this is the natural state or if it is enlarged. I checked my friend's node and she had around the same size but it felt different. Mine was more movable, rounder and softer compared to my friend's that was hard, longitudinal and not as movable.

But yesterday, I found another node that I believe is the "superficial cervical" node on the right side below the ear. I can feel it only if I really press hard down against it. It's longitudinal around 1 cm in length and .5 cm in width. Slightly tender but it may be from pressing it hard.  Again, i dont know if always been there or if it is because of the continued phelgm that I have in my throat cause of earlier infection.

I am very worried because generalized lymphadenopathy could be sign of HIV. But I don't have any where else (armpit, groin etc).  I have been checking for these nodes and pressing against them 30 times at least day for the last week or so which alone I believe can cause enlargement.

Question, should i be worried about HIV based on the information  i shared?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

HIV is not transmitted on a persons hands to cause infection. There is no reason to worry that you might get HIV by touching yourself after removing a used condom which has genital secretions on it.

As I said above, your symptoms are most certainly not due to HIV and are likely a just a plain old, every day cold of the sort we all get from time to time.  Please try not to worry.  EWH

[itsgoingtobefine]

One more thing, thething I am worried about is that after I touched the condom to remove it, I may or may not have touch my penis after the masturbation (say 4-8 mins later), If I did touch, does it increase the risk?

[itsgoingtobefine]

Dear Doc,
        Thanks for your reply. The partner (woman) doesn't use IV as far I know and is in healthcare profession (a RN). I am assuming is a responsible person.

But based on the symptoms alone (i.e~ 1 day of  sore throat followed by 2 weeks of sneezing,runny nose and phlegm in throat), would you advice me to do the test based on your experience of ARS symptoms. Or is it a case of common cold and just move on?

Thanks for your patience and advice.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum. You do not say much about your partner but I presume that she does not use IV drugs.  If that is the case, the likelihood that she has HIV is less than 1 in 10,000.  Further, even if she did, the exposures that you describe did not put you at risk for HIV.  Condom protected sex is safe sex (that there was blood on the outside of the condom is irrelevant) and HIV is not transmitted by masturbation, even though it is typical for persons engaged in mutual masturbation to get each others' genital secretions on one another.  

I suspect your sore throat is coincidence and nothing more.  It certainly does not meet the description of the ARS syndrome describe for early HIV.  


From a medical perspective, there in nothing in the information that you provide that suggests a need for an HIV test.  If you feel the need for your peace of mind, I can tell you that if your sore throat had been due to HIV, your test would now be positive.  I am confident that will not be the case.

I hope my comments are helpful  EWH